Normally I'd say to plant the trees on a mound. However in Z3 one needs to be concerned about freezing the roots. If you have snow cover during sub zero temps that will help protect the roots.

You might try cutting back on fertilizer and training some limbs over to horizontal. Those would be the best ways to promote flowering. In Z3 it's going to take longer to fruit than in areas with a longer growing season.

Thank you so much for your help! I'm going to try your suggestions. Our snow tends to get blown away so I guess the raised beds wouldn't work.

How often do you suggest fertilizing? Once a year? If so should it be spring or fall?

Clay is fine ..has some nutrient and I would cut back completely in fertilizing for a couple of years if trees look good. I had a sweet sixteen in my test orchard for about 5 years, it kept freezing back in winter till it died out...never had apples, would do better in town.

Oh, wow! Okay. I'll try that. What types if apple trees would you suggest for my area then?

You might be OK ..since your trees are looking good,..might be another problem when you have fruits..some years not ripening.

My best...early ripening is Norland, mid season, Carroll and Trailman crab, late season, Norkent, Collet and Sept. Ruby.

Jennifer, like you I garden in zone 3 Montana. Trust me, it can take 7 years or longer for fruit trees to begin to bear here!

Do you have some other apple varieties that will pollinate your Sweet 16s once they begin to bloom?

My best apple tree is Goodland. I planted it in a somewhat sheltered location, and it has rewarded me with (usually) heavy annual crops.

Also, I can recommend Westland, Parkland, Carroll, and Kerr Crab. I have other varieties in the ground but they've not borne fruit yet.

The roots freeze solid here in winter

..got rid of the Parkland since it's a early small cooking type apple and ripens at the same time as Norland, one can handle only so many early ones, Westland I put in but just to see what it's like but nothing special..more for cooking also.

Apples

Konrad, I find that Westland isn't that good for eating... too astringent. But we think it makes excellent apple sauce. The apples are large, and easy to process and cook down. Parkland, you're right, small and not really special but not bad...it's a reliable, albeit biennial, producer here in a cold, short-season climate. I don't have a Norland to compare it to.

In zone 3 you might consider 'Akero'. Kind of tart, but the apple has flavor and an aroma reminiscent of raspberry.